The Mhlongo family

In 2009, Samukelo Mhlongo—then president of the Association of Tertiary Zion Students at University of KwaZulu-Nata—contacted Greg Seghers. This was the moment that opened the doors for ZEMA to begin working with students in this nationally recognized organization.

Samukelo began attending ZEBS and brought his father, mother, and two brothers—Simangaliso and Ndumiso—to the ZEBS at KwaMashu. Four of the five family members graduated between 2012 and 2014.

When he first came to ZEBS, Simangaliso was a particularly outspoken student who regularly questioned the biblical view of the veneration of one’s ancestors. At his graduation, though, Simangaliso testified that through ZEBS he received Christ as his savior, had given up the practices of ancestral worship, and was blessed to preach the Gospel to his congregation.

That same day, Ndumiso expressed his thanks for ZEBS, stating: “My family is not the same because of the truths we learned through the Bible’s teachings.”

About ZEMA

ZEMA ministers to African Zionists, also known as "amaZioni" from Zulu "people of Zion" and by many other titles. The amaZioni people are part of a religious movement with 15–18 million members throughout southern Africa and Zionism is the predominant religion of Swaziland with forty percent of Swazis considering themselves Zionist. They are prevalent in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. Zionism is a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship.